Andrew Harrop
@andrewharrop.bsky.social
Director at Public First. Former Fabian Society General Secretary (2011-2024). Public policy of work, money, health & care.
https://cradle2grave.substack.com
https://cradle2grave.substack.com
Labour should grasp the nettle on pension tax reform
- my chapter in a great new @thefabians.bsky.social report Taxing Questions
fabians.org.uk/publication/...
- my chapter in a great new @thefabians.bsky.social report Taxing Questions
fabians.org.uk/publication/...
October 25, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Labour should grasp the nettle on pension tax reform
- my chapter in a great new @thefabians.bsky.social report Taxing Questions
fabians.org.uk/publication/...
- my chapter in a great new @thefabians.bsky.social report Taxing Questions
fabians.org.uk/publication/...
Wait, I know this one.
Is must be by cutting a third off National Insurance when there’s a huge deficit…?
Is must be by cutting a third off National Insurance when there’s a huge deficit…?
October 24, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Wait, I know this one.
Is must be by cutting a third off National Insurance when there’s a huge deficit…?
Is must be by cutting a third off National Insurance when there’s a huge deficit…?
It’s hard to argue that pay is out of control when it’s only a whisker over inflation.
September 15, 2025 at 7:35 AM
It’s hard to argue that pay is out of control when it’s only a whisker over inflation.
NEW POST - National Care Service: A Quiet First Step
The government has taken a big step towards creating the National Care Service without telling anyone!
...all in one paragraph of this summer's Fair Funding proposals for local government finance
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/national-c...
The government has taken a big step towards creating the National Care Service without telling anyone!
...all in one paragraph of this summer's Fair Funding proposals for local government finance
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/national-c...
August 2, 2025 at 7:56 AM
NEW POST - National Care Service: A Quiet First Step
The government has taken a big step towards creating the National Care Service without telling anyone!
...all in one paragraph of this summer's Fair Funding proposals for local government finance
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/national-c...
The government has taken a big step towards creating the National Care Service without telling anyone!
...all in one paragraph of this summer's Fair Funding proposals for local government finance
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/national-c...
Higher income Gen-Xers are in for a HUGE shock re their (our!) retirement incomes. DWP stats show a high-earner retiring in 2043 will have 13% LESS income than their 2027 peer.
With policy change ruled out until 2030, ministers are leaving 40/50s to sort for themselves
www.gov.uk/government/s...
With policy change ruled out until 2030, ministers are leaving 40/50s to sort for themselves
www.gov.uk/government/s...
July 21, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Higher income Gen-Xers are in for a HUGE shock re their (our!) retirement incomes. DWP stats show a high-earner retiring in 2043 will have 13% LESS income than their 2027 peer.
With policy change ruled out until 2030, ministers are leaving 40/50s to sort for themselves
www.gov.uk/government/s...
With policy change ruled out until 2030, ministers are leaving 40/50s to sort for themselves
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Welcome news on Winter Fuel Payment from the PM.
But promising help for ‘more’ pensioners has pitfalls. Labour definitely should not invent a standalone means-test.
Instead pay WFP to all & tax it back from wealthy pensioners
Lots more in this post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/heres-how-...
But promising help for ‘more’ pensioners has pitfalls. Labour definitely should not invent a standalone means-test.
Instead pay WFP to all & tax it back from wealthy pensioners
Lots more in this post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/heres-how-...
May 21, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Welcome news on Winter Fuel Payment from the PM.
But promising help for ‘more’ pensioners has pitfalls. Labour definitely should not invent a standalone means-test.
Instead pay WFP to all & tax it back from wealthy pensioners
Lots more in this post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/heres-how-...
But promising help for ‘more’ pensioners has pitfalls. Labour definitely should not invent a standalone means-test.
Instead pay WFP to all & tax it back from wealthy pensioners
Lots more in this post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/heres-how-...
I spoke to @guardianheather.bsky.social about the surprising data on social care immigration,
for her excellent piece today
- health & care visa applications down by 80% from their peak
- while care vacancy rates have improved
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
for her excellent piece today
- health & care visa applications down by 80% from their peak
- while care vacancy rates have improved
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
May 19, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I spoke to @guardianheather.bsky.social about the surprising data on social care immigration,
for her excellent piece today
- health & care visa applications down by 80% from their peak
- while care vacancy rates have improved
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
for her excellent piece today
- health & care visa applications down by 80% from their peak
- while care vacancy rates have improved
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
The policy is strongly progressive at household level and should be easy to implement.
It corrects the under-taxation of private pensions:
- Today NICs aren't charged on employer contributions or pensions in payment
- Wealthy pensioners pay less tax than younger peers with the same income.
5/5
It corrects the under-taxation of private pensions:
- Today NICs aren't charged on employer contributions or pensions in payment
- Wealthy pensioners pay less tax than younger peers with the same income.
5/5
May 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
The policy is strongly progressive at household level and should be easy to implement.
It corrects the under-taxation of private pensions:
- Today NICs aren't charged on employer contributions or pensions in payment
- Wealthy pensioners pay less tax than younger peers with the same income.
5/5
It corrects the under-taxation of private pensions:
- Today NICs aren't charged on employer contributions or pensions in payment
- Wealthy pensioners pay less tax than younger peers with the same income.
5/5
Restoring WFP and introducing this levy leaves pensioners with personal incomes of under £20k better off on average.
Those with generous private pensions see their incomes fall
4/5
Those with generous private pensions see their incomes fall
4/5
May 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Restoring WFP and introducing this levy leaves pensioners with personal incomes of under £20k better off on average.
Those with generous private pensions see their incomes fall
4/5
Those with generous private pensions see their incomes fall
4/5
another graph - the number of 'health and social care' visa applications has plummeted already and is now below where it was when care workers were allowed into the scheme
May 12, 2025 at 12:28 PM
another graph - the number of 'health and social care' visa applications has plummeted already and is now below where it was when care workers were allowed into the scheme
A couple of graphs from Skills for Care make that point
May 12, 2025 at 11:20 AM
A couple of graphs from Skills for Care make that point
The latest data from Skills for Care shows a significant fall in social care migration AND a modest improvement in vacancy rates
www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social...
www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social...
May 11, 2025 at 9:10 AM
The latest data from Skills for Care shows a significant fall in social care migration AND a modest improvement in vacancy rates
www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social...
www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social...
Has anyone told Harriet Harman that it was the coalition that passed the Equality Act 2010?
@ayeshahazarika.bsky.social
@ayeshahazarika.bsky.social
April 9, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Has anyone told Harriet Harman that it was the coalition that passed the Equality Act 2010?
@ayeshahazarika.bsky.social
@ayeshahazarika.bsky.social
But poverty also increased a lot within particular groups, because benefits aren't meeting needs:
- Well known - large families
- Less well known - working families, where the adults are not all full-time employees
3/5
- Well known - large families
- Less well known - working families, where the adults are not all full-time employees
3/5
April 6, 2025 at 8:52 AM
But poverty also increased a lot within particular groups, because benefits aren't meeting needs:
- Well known - large families
- Less well known - working families, where the adults are not all full-time employees
3/5
- Well known - large families
- Less well known - working families, where the adults are not all full-time employees
3/5
Of course social security cuts are a big part of the story. But three structural changes were also important and have received much less comment.
There were steep rises in the share of children:
- In families with disabled people (up A LOT!)
- In private rented housing
- In large families
2/5
There were steep rises in the share of children:
- In families with disabled people (up A LOT!)
- In private rented housing
- In large families
2/5
April 6, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Of course social security cuts are a big part of the story. But three structural changes were also important and have received much less comment.
There were steep rises in the share of children:
- In families with disabled people (up A LOT!)
- In private rented housing
- In large families
2/5
There were steep rises in the share of children:
- In families with disabled people (up A LOT!)
- In private rented housing
- In large families
2/5
The green paper’s health assessment proposals are too ‘high stakes’
New Substack post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/too-high-s...
New Substack post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/too-high-s...
March 19, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The green paper’s health assessment proposals are too ‘high stakes’
New Substack post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/too-high-s...
New Substack post
cradle2grave.substack.com/p/too-high-s...
My @labourlist.bsky.social article from last week arguing for reform & time-limiting of contributory benefits, on which Liz Kendall is now consulting
labourlist.org/2025/03/andr...
labourlist.org/2025/03/andr...
March 18, 2025 at 1:51 PM
My @labourlist.bsky.social article from last week arguing for reform & time-limiting of contributory benefits, on which Liz Kendall is now consulting
labourlist.org/2025/03/andr...
labourlist.org/2025/03/andr...
NHS access ( ☑️ )
December 5, 2024 at 5:11 PM
NHS access ( ☑️ )
Children’s readiness for school ✅ ✅
December 5, 2024 at 5:11 PM
Children’s readiness for school ✅ ✅
Disposable incomes ✅
December 5, 2024 at 5:11 PM
Disposable incomes ✅
5 out of 6 of the milestones are a big deal
Homes ✅
Clean power ✅
Homes ✅
Clean power ✅
December 5, 2024 at 5:11 PM
5 out of 6 of the milestones are a big deal
Homes ✅
Clean power ✅
Homes ✅
Clean power ✅
What would it feel like if Labour achieved its 6 milestones?
Something like this…
🧵 on today’s speech from my @labourlist.bsky.social analysis labourlist.org/2024/12/news...
Something like this…
🧵 on today’s speech from my @labourlist.bsky.social analysis labourlist.org/2024/12/news...
December 5, 2024 at 5:11 PM
What would it feel like if Labour achieved its 6 milestones?
Something like this…
🧵 on today’s speech from my @labourlist.bsky.social analysis labourlist.org/2024/12/news...
Something like this…
🧵 on today’s speech from my @labourlist.bsky.social analysis labourlist.org/2024/12/news...
It may be dry but this announcement on fair funding is the foundation for turning round local public services
👏🏼 👏🏼
www.gov.uk/government/p...
👏🏼 👏🏼
www.gov.uk/government/p...
November 28, 2024 at 2:52 PM
It may be dry but this announcement on fair funding is the foundation for turning round local public services
👏🏼 👏🏼
www.gov.uk/government/p...
👏🏼 👏🏼
www.gov.uk/government/p...